Impetuous Acts
by transmutejun
Summary: Ken's on a power trip and Joe and Jun don't like it. Where does it all lead?  This fic idea was inspired by Chickeebaybee's wonderful drawings and LBorgia's inspirational idea. Thanks to Amethyst for letting me bounce ideas off of her!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Five young people slumped in their seats, their bodies drooping with physical and mental exhaustion. The Science Ninja Team had just returned from a three-day mission. A successful mission… in the broadest definition of the word. They had accomplished their goal of locating Galactor's secret base and demolishing it, as well as destroying the mecha housed within. But it had been a long and arduous task, and not without error. Discomfort and disagreements had mixed with impatience and frustration, creating an environment amongst the Team that was both stressful and detrimental to their usual cohesiveness.

They needed a break.

"I see." Dr. Nambu said dryly, after Ken had recapped the events of the past thirty-six hours for him. Gatchaman had included the salient points, but had left out many of the background details. Still, it was clear from the Doctor's face that he had been able to read between the lines of Ken's edited explanation.

"I'll leave things in your hands, Ken." Nambu said, pushing his chair back from his desk and standing up. His eyes briefly swept over the rest of the Team before he exited the room.

Joe sighed heavily. He was too worn out to assume his usual standing position, although he was leaning back with his arms crossed, his body buried in his wings. Next to him, Ryu slumped over onto his arm, which was leaning on the back of the sofa. Jun huddled with Jinpei on the opposite side of the room, the Swan cradling the Swallow on her lap. Jinpei almost looked as if he had already fallen asleep. Between them was Ken, rising from his chair, doing his best to shake off the bone-numbing fatigue that encompassed them all, but failing badly.

"I want to go home…" Jinpei moaned, his face half-buried in Jun's arm.

"I'm hungry…" Ryu added.

"No one's going anywhere." Ken announced.

"I have a race tomorrow." Joe grumbled. "I just want to get back to my trailer and crash."

"What Ken's saying makes sense, Joe." Jun admonished. "None of us are in any position to drive home. Crash here at the Crescent Base and leave for your race in the morning."

"That's _not_ what I meant." Ken snapped angrily. The others looked up at him in tired surprise.

"Huh?" Jinpei was unable to form any more coherent thought.

"We're all staying here, because first thing in the morning, we're going to go back to training." Ken ordered.

"What?" Ryu sat up in shock. "What are you talking about, Ken? With the hell we've been through for the past three days, we don't need any training right now!"

"Yeah, Galactor's going to be quiet for at least a week now, what with the setback we handed them." Jinpei agreed, yawning.

"I need to open the Snack." Jun worried. "I've been closed all week, and if I don't open tomorrow night, I'll have trouble scraping enough money together for the rent."

"Train yourself, if that's what you want, but I'm not staying." Joe muttered in disgust.

"You don't really understand what happened on this mission, do you?" Ken shouted. "Jinpei, you were sloppy and careless! Half the time you were missing your targets, and twice those goons caught you from behind!"

"Hey, I wasn't…!" the Swallow began to protest, but Gatchaman's attention was already directed elsewhere.

"Jun, you kept venturing too far from the Team! How are we supposed to cover each other if you're on the opposite side of the room?"

"You're one to talk, always flying up to the ceiling!" Jun huffed.

"Ryu, you…"

"Don't say anything to me, Ken! I was on the God Phoenix the whole time, remember?" Ryu sulked, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest.

"And still, you couldn't answer our calls! How long did it take you to…?"

"All right! All right!" Ryu threw his hands into the air. "I was taking a nap! It had been more than twenty-four hours since I'd slept okay?"

"And Joe," the Eagle turned to address the Condor, "you're too reckless, off doing your own thing. How the hell are we suppose to remain a team if I don't know where the hell you are?"

"Look, I was doing my job, okay?" Joe snarled. "Killing Galactors and clearing the room. Same thing you were doing."

"We need to get back to basics." Ken lectured sternly, in an unconscious imitation of Red Impulse's superior tone. "We need to remember how to work _together_. Fatigue and stress are no excuse for sloppy work! We can't do our job if we're all over the place, and not acting consistently…"

"If we act consistently, then Galactor figures out what we're going to do, and it's all over, Ken." Joe snapped. He had had enough. All he wanted was some rest, and here Ken was dishing out a lecture for all he was worth. The Condor stood up. He didn't need this.

"I'm leaving." Joe announced.

"The hell you are!" Ken shouted. "Dr. Nambu left this in my hands, Joe. I'm _ordering_ you to remain on base and attend training tomorrow!"

"All hail, Gatchaman." Joe saluted sardonically, snapping his heels together to emphasize his point. "We all know who 'Number One' is around here."

"Just make sure you're here in the morning." Ken growled, stalking out of the room.

"What were you thinking, Joe?" Ryu berated. "You know there's no dealing with Ken when he gets in a mood like that!"

"You should know better, Joe!" Jinpei agreed.

"Leave him alone!" Jun cried, burying her face in her hands. "Joe only said what we were all thinking. Ken's been too heavy-handed with us lately." A shocked silence took over the room, as Jinpei struggled to sit up.

"Onechan…?" he asked quietly, tentatively placing a hand on Jun's shoulder.

"Did she actually criticize _Ken_?" Ryu stared up at Joe in astonishment.

"Don't look at me like that! You know it's true." Jun sighed sadly. "I've tried to talk some sense into Ken, but he won't listen. He doesn't take me seriously." Her voice was laced with bitterness.

"At least you tried, Onechan." Jinpei clumsily attempted to soothe his older sister.

"Let's get some pizza at the cafeteria, Jinpei." Ryu suggested, not so subtly pulling the boy away from the couch. "Give Jun some time to rest."

"Okay." Jinpei agreed, for once taking a hint.

"You coming, Joe?" Ryu asked.

"I'm just going to crash." Joe replied. "You go on ahead."

"Whatever you say." Ryu shrugged, before leaving with Jinpei.

Jun sat in silence as the other two departed. Joe turned toward the door himself, but then thought better of it. His eyebrow rose slightly as he contemplated the Swan.

"You know, I probably could use something to eat." he said offhandedly. "But not with those two yahoos bouncing off the walls." Jun sniffed quietly, still not looking his way. Joe's minimal patience ran out.

"Let's go." he said, pulling at Jun's arm. She acquiesced, following him out the door and down the corridor to the small break room the Science Ninja Team used when they were on base. When the door had closed, Joe swung his left wrist around his face, detransforming in a flash of light, noting that Jun had woodenly followed his example.

Without a word, Joe opened the cabinets, rifling through them. As he had expected, there were a few containers of cup noodles, packaged peanut butter and crackers, and microwave popcorn. The fridge held a few sodas and condiments.

"Ramen, Skippy, or Reddenbacher?" Joe asked, tossing the dry food onto the nearby table where Jun had already seated herself.

"Just some hot chocolate." Jun murmured softly. But she picked up one of the cracker packages and began unwrapping the cellophane.

Joe shrugged, tossing a package of Nestle mix over in Jun's direction, before placing a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Almost immediately, a buttery smell emerged and began to fill the room. He took a can of soda from the fridge, breaking it open and taking a long swallow. He sat down at the table, where Jun was already mixing her cocoa into a mug of hot water with an orange, plastic stick.

"So how long have you been feeling this way?" Joe asked, just as Jun took her first sip. It was good timing on his part, as she was able to take a moment to think about her answer before responding.

"A few weeks." Jun admitted. "As Jinpei said, Ken changed after his father died. I thought maybe, after what I said in that ice chamber…" Her voice drifted off, and Joe was brought back with her in time, recalling that moment when Ken's insanity in the wake of his father's death had gotten the entire Team trapped inside a pit of melting ice.

"_None of you could possibly understand." Ken cried. "They killed my father… before I had a chance to know him!"_

"_Crybaby!" Jun shouted. _

"_What?" Ken was clearly shocked to hear Jun speaking to him this way._

"_My Dad! My Dad!" she mocked in a high-pitched voice. "How long are you going to keep whining like a child? You're not the only one here who lost their parents. Joe did, Jinpei did, and I did too!" The Swan spoke as if she were lecturing the Swallow for irresponsible behavior._

"_Take a good look at Jinpei." Jun continued, barely noticing the outrage on Ken's face. "He's at the age where he needs his parents the most, but he's never whined about it once. You're acting like you're the lone hero of some kind of Greek tragedy!"_

_Ken gasped, unable to believe what he was hearing._

"_How can you call yourself the Leader of the Science Ninja Team?" Jun demanded. "You're just a crybaby! A coward!"_

_She might have continued berating the Eagle, but at that moment another part of the wall burst open with a thunderous crash._

"I hated doing that," Jun admitted, "but at the time, I knew it was the only thing that could snap him out of it. And for a few hours afterward, it was like we had the old Ken back. But ever since then…"

"He's been on edge." Joe finished for her, standing up to retrieve the now-cooked bag of popcorn. "Any little thing sets him off. He's more difficult to live with than ever."

"I tried talking to him again… in private." Jun admitted. "He doesn't want to hear it. He barely speaks to me anymore. Joe, do you think you could…?"

"I don't know." Joe sighed. "We've had these conversations before. Ken doesn't like it when I question his leadership."

"You're not questioning his leadership…" Jun protested.

"That's how Ken sees it." Joe replied. "There's not much else I can do." The flash of hope in Jun's eyes died, and something snapped inside of him.

"I'll try again." he promised rashly.

"Thank you." Jun smiled, and for the first time in days, she looked like her usual self.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They sat there in companionable silence for a few minutes, Jun sipping her cocoa and munching on crackers, Joe crunching his popcorn.

"This is quite the dinner, isn't it?" Jun noted sarcastically.

"When I take a girl to eat, she gets the best." Joe's mouth remained stern, but he winked quickly.

"By the looks of this, I guess I'm not much of a girl, then." Jun teased.

"No, you're not." Joe agreed. "You're far beyond a 'girl'."

"What does that make me… a boy?" Jun's joking response poorly masked the confusion she was feeling.

"A woman."

Jun's breath caught in her throat. Was he…? She had had many private conversations with Joe in the past. He knew her better than anyone… Yet never before had there been this kind of undercurrent in his words.

Or had there?

Jun sat for a moment, rifling through her memories. Joe had always been there for her to lean on: someone to talk to when she had a problem. How many times had she tried to speak to Ken about her feelings, only to be brushed off? Yet Joe had never done such a thing. When she really thought about it, she supposed there had been certain comments from him in the past… comments she had tossed aside as jests between friends. Friendly banter.

Yet tonight, this didn't seem like 'friendly banter'.

"I suppose that makes you a man, then."

"If you need to ask, you're not ready to know."

"Maybe I want to know."

Where the hell had that come from? Jun's mouth fell open in shock as she realized what she had just said… what she had just implied. But it was surprising how easily this kind of talk was coming to her.

She was tired. That was all. After thirty-six hours of being run ragged, she didn't know what she was doing. Or… maybe she _did_ know what she was doing, and her exhaustion was only serving to lower her natural inhibitions.

The question was, did she want to find out?

Joe stared at her for a long moment, his eyes searching for… something. Did he find it? She guessed not, because the next thing she knew, he was standing, clearing the refuse from their table.

"I think it's time to go." he said quietly.

Jun nodded, following his lead, and before long they were back in the metal corridors of the Crescent Base, walking along in silence.

Yet… it wasn't uncomfortable. Strangely, it seemed right. She glanced shyly at Joe, noting the way his caramel-colored hair fell over his face, the way his shoulders shrugged slightly as his hands stuffed themselves into his jeans' pockets. He stared straight ahead, yet somehow, Jun sensed that he felt her gaze upon him, and she flushed to the roots of her ebony hair.

Joe stopped suddenly, staring at a corridor running off to their right.

"I'm hot." he announced. "I feel like a swim."

"A swim?" Jun was surprised. "But, there's no swimming pool on the base."

"We're in the middle of the ocean." Joe smirked. "I suspect I could find some water around somewhere."

"But, Ken said…"

"To hell with what Ken said!" Joe stared at her, something angry flashing in his eyes. "Besides, I'm not breaking any orders. I'm staying on base." He spun on his heel, pushing open a nearby door with the heel of his hand, too impatient to wait for the automatic portal feature to activate. Jun hurried after him, wondering what had happened. Why was Joe acting this way?

When Jun realized where they were, she suddenly understood. The large chamber was empty, save for herself and Joe. A metal platform encircled the room, and its center was filled with water.

A docking bay.

"Oh." she smiled in relief. "Why didn't you say so, Joe?"

"So you're joining me, then?"

"What? I…"

She hadn't thought about it. It certainly was an interesting idea. There were no vessels in this particular bay right now, as it was primarily used for visitors.

"I don't have a bathing suit." Jun's cheeks flamed.

"So?"

Jun's eyes popped open in amazement, and Joe stared at her in a challenging manner, as if daring her to respond. But she found that she couldn't utter a word.

Slowly, his eyes locked on hers, Joe kicked off his shoes. He was teasing her. He had to be. He wouldn't really…

Now, somehow, his socks had joined his shoes. He was still standing tall, his gaze holding her as surely as if she had been pinned to the wall by his feather shuriken. His face didn't change as he reached for his belt, his fingers teasing carefully at the buckle.

She gasped slightly as he pulled on the leather strap, opening both the belt and the fly of his jeans in one smooth motion. Something teased at the corner of his mouth, and suddenly his pants were at his ankles, and he was stepping out of them, kicking the worn garment over to rest near his shoes.

He wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Jun's face burned a fiery red, and she desperately wanted to turn away.

_But she couldn't stop staring._

She had seen Joe's body before. Hell, in Birdstyle there was little left to anyone's imagination, but this… this flawless form before her, like a marble statue of a Greek god turned to flesh… it was all she could do to keep from hyperventilating with excitement. As it was, her lips went dry, and she gulped nervously, unable to tear her eyes from the sight of the perfection displayed just below the line of his t-shirt.

"I didn't think you'd mind." he said. The soft chuckle brought her back to consciousness, and embarrassment surged again as she realized what she was doing. Joe's eyes narrowed and he reached down, crossing his arms, grabbing at the hem of his shirt. Oh, he wasn't…

But he was. Ever so slowly, he lifted the t-shirt up, exposing inch after tantalizing inch of his hard, muscular torso. The comparison to a Greek god didn't do the Condor justice. He was perfection.

Joe raised the shirt another inch, his eyes barely peeping out from behind his arms, yet the challenge in them was unmistakable. The question was, would she accept his invitation?

She wanted to. Damn it all, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and meet his challenge with everything she had. But she remained frozen, locked in place by the sight of everything she craved so brazenly displayed before her.

The t-shirt landed on top of the jeans, and then his muscular form flashed through the air, diving into the water. A second later, his head emerged, his hair shaking and sprinkling droplets at her feet.

"Are you coming?"

His smile was sardonic, but suddenly, Jun found herself seeing with new eyes. There was a vulnerability behind his gaze, and she sensed that if she denied him now, there was no going back.

Hell, there was no going back anyway, not after what she'd just seen.

Clumsily, she stooped over, removing her shoes and socks. She winced at the inelegance of her display. Joe's movements had been graceful, sensual, enticing… but hers were awkward and inept. Certainly she'd never taken off her clothes for an audience before, and a situation such as this had been beyond her imagining.

She fumbled with her belt, taking three tries to unlatch it properly. Tears of frustration stung at her eyes.

What was she doing?

A small splash announced that Joe had ducked underwater once more, and she gratefully took the opportunity he had offered to finish her disrobing in relative privacy. Yet she found she couldn't quite finish the task. Still wearing her bra and panties, she sat down on the edge of the dock, slipping quickly into the water.

Joe surfaced again, a couple of meters away from her position, his eyes glistening as he surveyed the wet Swan before him.

"It looks like you forgot something." he said, amusement lacing his voice.

"I thought we were swimming in our underwear." she replied airily. "It's not my fault you didn't have any."

"I noticed you noticing that." he smirked.

"It would have been impossible not to notice."

"Oh really?"

He had moved closer now, treading water less than thirty centimeters away from her. The water was at least ten meters deep, and Jun attempted to concentrate on her arms and legs, swirling them slowly to ensure that she remained afloat. Yet the movements were mechanical, and did nothing to distract her from the overwhelming maleness threatening to take over her senses.

"Are you enjoying your swim?" he asked her.

"So far…" she squeaked, not trusting her own voice.

"Hmmm…" He regarded her thoughtfully, then disappeared below the water. A second later, she felt herself being pulled down. He was ducking her! A surge of instinctive outrage rushed through her, and she gasped for air, before diving back underwater and grabbing for his ankles.

Now it was a competition, and each was out to best the other. They dove and splashed, grabbing at arms and legs, pulling the other down and refusing to give up the challenge. Over and over they repeated this battle, their shouts and laughter echoing off the metallic walls of the little-used docking bay.

At first, it was Jun who started playing dirty, splashing Joe in the face, and then grabbing him around his waist to prevent him from flipping around. But suddenly, Jun found herself backed against a wall, doing everything she could to stay afloat as he blocked her with his body, his physical presence effectively acting to immobilize her.

"It's the end of the line for you." he grinned, flipping his wet hair back from his forehead.

"Are you sure?" she breathed, waiting for her chance to get away. But he moved in closer, and suddenly getting away was the last thing on her mind. Her words died in her throat, and all she could think of was _him_. His expression changed, and she felt a sudden warmth coursing through her thighs.

"Only if you are." he whispered.

"I… I'm sure."

His eyes searched her face for a long moment, and then, finding his answer, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against hers. Her eyes closed and she sighed contentedly, even as he pulled her closer against him. Her arms slipped up around his neck, clinging to his shoulders even as her legs wrapped themselves around his waist. Her back pressed against the wall, and dimly she became aware that he was holding onto the edge of the dock, keeping them both afloat as he prolonged their kiss.

Their kiss… Jun had never imagined herself in such a situation, and certainly not with Joe! The only other man she had ever kissed had been Koji… truth be told, their relationship had been more the result of curiosity on her part, as she had already realized that her crush on Ken would remain one-sided; their relationship unfulfilled. Her adolescent fumblings with Koji in the dark had culminated in one clumsy attempt at sex, which had left Jun with feelings of dissatisfaction and inadequacy. This one encounter had given rise to an inferiority complex where romantic entanglements were concerned. Jun had given up on the mere _idea_ of intimacy, even as she had given up on her girlish hopes of a relationship with Ken.

But this… the eroticism of her current situation showed her the foolishness of her actions. She had been denying herself all of this time, and for what? So she could bask in her own self-isolation, keeping herself apart from that kind of entanglement, all in the name of duty? That was the kind of detachment at which Ken excelled.

_But she wasn't Ken._

No, she wasn't Ken… in fact, she was quickly discovering that she was completely unlike Ken. How could she have denied herself this delicious feeling of pleasure, floating on a cloud of warmth and physical contentment? She sighed again, her tongue teasing against the lips pressed against her mouth.

Joe groaned, his body straining as it pushed against hers, forcing her flesh to mold against him. His mouth left her lips and travelled along the line of her jaw, moving slowly down her neck and nibbling at her rosy flesh. Jun bent her head back, giving him full access to her throat, thrilling at the tiny darts of pleasure shooting through her. A hard line of pressure surfaced along her lower abdomen and she rubbed against it, seeking her own fulfillment.

"Jun…" he murmured, his voice swallowed by her damp skin.

"Joe!" she gasped for air. "Please…"

"Please… what?"

She didn't know. What had she been asking for? But something inside of her had prompted that word from her throat. He lifted his head up, staring her in the eye.

"Are you… okay?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes…" she nodded, blinking slowly at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "I feel…" Her head lolled back, her cheeks flushed.

"Maybe we should get out of the water." Joe sounded faintly amused.

"Water…? Yes…" Jun looked around, suddenly realizing where they were. What was going on with her? She couldn't ever recall feeling this dazed before.

The feeling persisted. It was almost as if she were having an out of body experience: watching herself exit the water, pulling on a white technician's coat that Joe handed to her and scooping up her clothes, following him silently down the corridor until they reached her quarters. Once they had entered, she collapsed onto the bed in a fit of giggles.

"What is it?" Joe asked, bemused by her attitude.

"We're ninjas…" Jun giggled. "Creeping stealthily through the night… exiting the docking bay with our secret data… water samples!" She twisted her hair around her finger, a few droplets oozing down onto her finger.

"Those are important samples." Joe said seriously, but his eyes were sparkling. "Not to be wasted." His tongue flickered out briefly, lapping the drops from her skin. Jun shivered at the contact; the sensation was a pleasant one.

"You're not… sorry…?"

"Sorry?" Jun's head cleared, and she understood what he was asking. "No, Joe. I'm not sorry. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

"I can't either." he admitted. "But I was wondering. You're so… if I didn't know better, I'd say you were on something."

"I'm tired." Jun sighed giddily. "I always get silly when I'm overtired. You should know that. But more… I'm having fun." She focused her mind, realizing what it was she wanted from him.

"I'm enjoying myself, Joe." she whispered. "I said please…"

"You did." The edge of his mouth curled up in a wry fashion. "Do you know what you want, now?"

"I want you." Jun said, as seriously as she could. "I want this." She leaned forward, kissing him again, until he was the one gasping for air. Her hands slid inside of the white coat he wore, pulling it off of his shoulders, baring his chest, enabling her to massage it with her palms.

"You're sure?" he asked, pulling back regretfully. "I want you to be sure."

In response, Jun snuggled herself into his lap, kissing him again, her hands roaming the hard muscles that made up his torso. As beautiful as he had been to look at, touching him was even more exciting. She began to feel lightheaded, a giddiness taking over her entire body.

"Oh, Jun…"

His hands buried themselves in the wet strands of her hair, pulling her even closer to him, his body straining against hers. His hands tore at her coat, revealing her bare skin and wet undergarments below.

Slowly, his hands moved around her back, brushing against her bra strap. In the back of her mind, Jun knew he was giving her one last chance to refuse him, but it was the last thing she wanted. She had known Joe for years. She trusted him with her life. He was her friend. He would never hurt her… but, oh! What he was doing to her now…

"Yes, Joe…" 

She felt her bra unsnap, and then the straps being slid slowly down her shoulders. Cool air passed over her damp breasts, pebbling her skin until the warmth of his hands fired her again. The dizzy feeling returned and she fell backward in his embrace, the bed reaching up to catch her even as she focused solely on the burgeoning fulfillment inside of her.

"Oh…" she writhed as his mouth replaced his right hand, and his tongue lapped at her rose-colored nipple. So great was the sensation that she was barely aware of her displaced hand moving lower, until a sudden thrill bolted through her. His fingers dipped below the waistband of her panties, tickling at the pearl of her womanhood until she thought she would burst.

"You like that…" he murmured into the valley between her breasts.

"It's you…" she gasped, teetering on the edge of feminine gratification. "I like…"

All further words were lost in a flood of self-awareness, a sense of shooting up to the stars, and then floating down slowly, coming to rest gently in his arms again.

"I like _you_." She was finally able to finish her sentence as she recovered from her bout with ecstasy.

"And I like you." Joe grinned back at her, his hands stroking the curve at her waist. His mouth claimed hers once more, and she found herself hungrier than before for what he could offer, lifting her body eagerly as he divested her of her last remaining garment. Her hands reached down, playing with the muscles of his back, then moving lower to stoke across his buttocks. He groaned and she smiled into their kiss, enjoying the power she held over him.

Her hands moved to the side of his hips, just as he rolled over, pulling her atop his body. She slipped slightly off of her perch, allowing herself free access to the hardness that pointed up between her thighs. Cautiously at first, then tenderly, she caressed it, marveling at the softness that belonged to a man otherwise made of rock and steel.

"Damn… Jun… I can't take much more of this…"

"So don't." she whispered into his ear. "I want to feel you…"

She threw her leg back over his hip, positioning herself in a manner that communicated her intentions. His masculinity twitched of its own accord, brushing at the soft lips presented to its tip.

"Jun!" he cried, pushing upward, moving inside of her before grabbing at her waist and raising them both to a sitting position. Together they embraced, their bodies merging and flowing as they discovered their perfect rhythm, giving and taking until the ultimate expression of their pleasure flowed from their bodies: a simultaneous explosion of passion.

She was flying… but it was better than flying. She was moving into the sunrise, and the colors were bursting all around her. She cried out her passion, collapsing onto him as they fell back to the bed, still entwined in each other's limbs.

"I love you..."

Which one of them had said that? Had she been the one? She didn't know. But she knew it was true. How long had this been staring her in the face, and she had refused to see it, too wrapped up in her own lack of self-worth?

"I love you too…" 

Whoever had spoken first, the emotion had been reciprocated, and knowing that her world was complete, Jun drifted off into a contented peace.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The following morning, they awoke to the sound of their bracelets beeping, calling them to a training session with the rest of the Team. Joe grimaced, mumbling about taking off for his race, but a few kisses from Jun silenced him. She thrilled to the new power she held over the previously intractable Condor. Thanks to her convincing, they answered the call sleepily, but Ken thought nothing of it; Jinpei and Ryu had also showed up with bleary faces and sleep-rimmed eyes.

Despite their exhaustion, the session went well. Joe and Jun had discovered a new awareness of each other, and were able to fight more cohesively, even drawing the others into this circle they had created. Ken was sufficiently pleased that he did not order further training sessions, and the matter was forgotten.

Not so the night that Joe and Jun had spent together. This newfound intimacy, carefully tended, grew into an emotional closeness that they both treasured, and closely guarded. Without discussing the matter, they knew instinctively that no one, least of all Ken, would approve of the change in the nature of their relationship. Fear of discovery led them back to old habits, maintaining a casual distance, but if Jun attended a few more of Joe's races, or if Joe stayed a few times after the Snack closed to help Jun clean up, no one commented on it.

Despite the intermittent Galactor attacks, life was pretty much perfect, until one morning when Jun's hairbrush broke. She began looking in her bathroom for a spare, opening a cabinet below her sink. Her gaze came to rest upon a small blue box shoved into the corner, and she pulled it out curiously, her mind doing a quick calculation.

One… two… three… more…

_Six_?

No…! That couldn't be right. It wasn't possible…

But then, now that she thought about it, she supposed it was.

How stupid could she be? _Of course_ this was a possibility! Why had she never thought about it? Jun, the girl who ran her own bar, planning for the future, always looking ahead… she had been too lame-brained to think about the consequences of her actions.

What the hell was she going to do?

A soft rapping at her windowsill broke her out of this train of thought, and she hurried into her room, only to see Joe climbing into her room from the fire escape. The Condor's smile of greeting fell flat as his eyes focused on the box in the Swan's hand.

"That time of month?" he asked carefully.

"No…" Jun's anxious face gazed up at him in distress. "It's been six weeks…"

"Six weeks?" The color drained from Joe's face. "But aren't you on…?"

"No." Jun shook her head. "Why would I be? Before you, there was no one…"

"Dr. Nambu didn't give you anything…?"

"No. It's not like I ever asked!"

"No, I guess not."

For once in his life, the Condor appeared to be at a loss. What the hell was he going to do now? More importantly, what was Jun going to do now?

"Look, first we have to find out if it's as bad as we think it is." he told her. "We'll go to the drugstore and get a test. We have to know for sure."

"Find out for sure…" she repeated. "Yes. That's right." Her brain felt numb, as if she were in a fog. Gently, Joe eased her out of the window and onto the fire escape.

"Less than an hour, and we'll know." he assured her.

The Condor's promise was true to its word. Forty minutes later he sat with her on her bed, the pair of them staring at the little white stick that had the power to determine their futures.

"How long has it been, again?" Joe asked impatiently.

"Ten minutes." Jun sighed. "The box said it would be at least fifteen."

"That's ridiculous." he snarled. Yet there was nothing to do but continue to wait.

Three minutes later, that wait was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Jun? Can I talk to you?"

"Ken!" Jun's horrified whisper echoed loudly in Joe's ears. In an instant he was out the window and on the ground, moving around toward the front of the Snack J.

"Come on in, Ken." Jun called, realizing belatedly that the test stick was still in her hand. Just as the Eagle came in the door, she threw herself face down onto the bed, the white stick concealed beneath her abdomen.

"I wanted to talk to you…" Ken began, but he paused when he saw Jun sprawled across her rumpled sheets. "Are you feeling okay?"

"No…" Jun shook her head, refusing to sit up. "I'm not sure, but I might be coming down with something."

"Do you need anything?" Ken asked solicitously. "Maybe some medication from the drugstore?"

"I've already been to the drugstore, thanks." Jun whimpered, as a wave of nausea rose up in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she bolted toward the bathroom, barely making it in time.

When her heaving had ceased, she rinsed out her mouth and returned to her room, her pallor a sickly green. She saw Ken standing next to her bed.

"What's this?" Ken asked, the white stick in his hand.

Jun turned and ran back into the bathroom once more.

88888

Ken stared down at the plastic stick in his hand, hoping with all his might that he had misinterpreted its purpose. Yet it was becoming all too clear that he hadn't.

Jun had taken a pregnancy test.

His knees trembled, and his hand shook, yet he managed to maintain his outward façade of calm. But inside, his rage burst forth. How could she have been so careless? So stupid? How could she have done this to the Team? To _him_?

Jun was an organized, practical girl. These were the qualities that made her such a good officer: someone he could count on to keep a cool head in a crisis and deliver the information he needed to make decisions. How could she have thrown that all away for…?

His gaze fell on her disheveled bed: the pillows askew, the sheets rumpled… was that where…? Ken shook his head violently. He didn't want to think about that. Yet all the same, this matter remained to be dealt with. There were some very serious implications for the entire Science Ninja Team.

Ken squinted at the white stick, attempting to determine its reading. While he knew the purpose of the device, he had never seen one up close, nor had he ever had occasion to use one. Now, more than ever, he did not regret his decision to abstain from this kind of irresponsible activity. This sort of hassle was the last thing he needed.

A hassle that Jun was now forcing upon him.

There was a small, oval window embedded within the white plastic, and examining it carefully, Ken could see a thin pink line… what did that mean? But he couldn't delude himself for long. A pink line… there was no denying it. The test was positive. Jun's sudden bouts of nausea were more than enough proof of that.

The bathroom door opened slowly, the Swan's drawn face peering out hesitantly.

"We need to talk about this, Jun." he said sternly, waving the stick around as if it were one of Dr. Nambu's lecture pointers. Her eyes followed it nervously, never leaving the small white piece of plastic.

"Okay…" she mumbled, shuffling over toward her bed. No, he didn't want to even think about that. He had to get her out of there.

"Downstairs."

Jun opened her mouth, as if to protest his decision, but after one look on his face she shut it again. Meekly she bent her head, moving slowly past him and out the door.

At the bottom of the stairs, Jun stopped short, causing Ken to nearly run into her. She turned sharply, her wan face and terrified eyes pleading with him.

"Ken, please… everyone's in there…"

"You think they won't find out about this soon enough?" he growled, watching her face fall. "Might as well get it out in the open now."

A soft sob escaped her throat, but Jun continued walking, stepping reluctantly into the main room of the Snack J. Jinpei had apparently abandoned his assigned task of mopping the floor, and was speaking with Joe and Ryu, who were sitting at the end of the bar. Ken steered Jun over to one of the tables lining the side of the room, grabbing her elbow to propel her in the direction he wanted. Despite his earlier statement, he knew he had the best chance of getting some straight answers out of Jun if he spoke to her with at least the illusion of privacy.

She sat down glumly in a chair, and Ken made a point of standing next to her, leaning on the table with his palms down in a manner reminiscent of Dr. Nambu. She stared at her hands, refusing to meet his eyes.

"What's the meaning of this, Jun?" he asked quietly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Joe watching them surreptitiously from the bar, but Ken didn't let that stop him from finding the answers he needed.

"You've already figured it out, haven't you?" Jun hissed. "That's why you're humiliating me like this!"

"How could you be so careless?" Ken berated her. "You should know better!"

"You think I haven't told myself that already?" Jun shot back in a furious whisper. "I wasn't thinking about it, okay? This isn't an everyday kind of situation!"

"How long has… this… been going on?"

"I just took the test this morning."

"No, not the test!"

Jun's head snapped up, her eyes blazing. Ken had to consciously prevent himself from drawing back.

"I don't think that's any of your business, Ken."

"What do you mean, none of my business? _This_ is my business!" He jabbed the white stick at her angrily to emphasize his point. "_This_ concerns the entire Team! The moment _this_ came into the picture, you lost the right to play that card!" Jun continued to stare defiantly at him, and it was enough to cause him to lose his temper completely.

"What the hell are you playing at, Jun?" Ken shouted, striaghtening up and shoving out his arms in an angry gesture. His hands hit the ends of the table, sending it crashing to the ground. The little white stick flew into the air, coming to land with a soft splash inside of Jinpei's mop bucket, which was resting in the corner of the room.

"What's going on, Ken?"

He turned, seeing his best friend approach the overturned table through a red haze. Joe's expression was inscrutable, but it was clear that the Condor wasn't pleased with the way the Swan was being treated.

"Just stay out of it, Joe!" Ken's blood boiled. "Let me handle this!"

"I don't think you're handling it appropriately, Ken." Joe's voice was calm, but the heavy hand he placed on Ken's shoulder was rife with warning.

"What did Onechan do?" Jinpei piped up, fishing around curiously in the mop bucket for a moment, before retrieving the white stick. "What's this?"

"Uh…" Ryu stared dumbfounded at the sodden remnants of the test. "Maybe it's better not to ask…"

"Jun has behaved irresponsibly and she's endangering the entire Team!" Ken exploded, throwing Joe's hand from his arm. All he was aware of was the rage coursing through him. Dimly, he knew he was out of control, but there was no stopping the tidal wave of anger. Once, the mighty Gatchaman would have been beyond such base emotions, but ever since his father had died, Ken had experienced difficulty in maintaining control over his emotions. The fact that he had once been so calm, so level-headed, only made matters worse.

At first, it had only been Galactor that had caused his temper to flare, but now, almost anything could set it off. Inside, Ken was aware that he wasn't dealing with this issue in the best manner, but there was little he could do to stop himself.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." Jun moaned softly, beads of sweat dotting her brow.

"Stop using that as an excuse!" Ken shouted. "You need to tell me how long this has been going on. And who's responsible for this mess you're in?"

"I told you, that's none of your business." Jun somehow managed to appear both nauseated and rebellious, all at the same time.

"Ken, lay off." Joe growled in his ear. A small part of the Eagle wanted to take this advice, but his anger demanded answers.

"Stay out of this, Joe, or I'll…"

His right hand was already clenching itself into a fist when his left arm began beeping. Immediately, his anger drained away, leaving an exhausted frustration in its wake.

"Gatchaman here." he responded to the call.

"Ken, gather everyone together and launch the God Phoenix!" came Dr. Nambu's voice. "I'll brief you in the air."

"Understood, Doctor." Ken replied, glancing meaningfully at everyone in the room. "We're on our way."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Joe glanced over at Jun, noting the rigid set of her shoulders and the bent angle of her neck. She was taking Ken's reaction hard, even harder, perhaps, than she had the potential repercussion of their nocturnal activities.

Was she pregnant? He didn't even know, as he hadn't had a chance to ask her the results of the test. But the way Ken had been acting… A large part of Joe knew that this had the potential for complete and utter disaster, and yet another part of him felt… protective.

He had been alone for so long: on the outskirts of society, of friendship… even in his own family. Dr. Nambu and the others had always included him, yet at the same time they had recognized his need to sit on the sidelines, to observe from afar, rather than participate. It was only when he was racing that he truly felt the need to be _one_ with something: to involve himself fully in his own actions.

Until recently… when he had discovered that feeling with Jun.

He had never imagined that his deep-seated emotions for his teammate would ever see the light of day, yet to his astonishment, not only had they emerged, but they had been reciprocated. The idea that he could actually be a part of a close, personal bond of this nature was astonishing in and of itself. And now, the addition of a baby…

He was going to be a father. There would be another human being who was entirely dependent upon him: someone whose very existence would be dictated by the actions of a man who barely knew what it was to be part of a family. Yet there it was, all the same. There would be complications, problems, yes. But at the same time he realized that he couldn't do any less than stand by Jun, no matter what she decided to do about this. He only wished that he could have a chance to speak with her in private, but before that opportunity presented itself, they would have to take out the Galactor mecha that was standing in their way.

"Joe, Jun, Jinpei, we're going to board that thing." Ken announced. "We've got to take out its shields. Ryu, circle around the back and bring us closer."

"Roger!"

Standing on the hull of the God Phoenix, Jun didn't look in Joe's direction. She kept her eyes straight ahead, focusing on Ken's white wings, following his every move. When the Eagle jumped, the Swan followed, moving as one toward their goal. As he flew through the air, the Condor did his best to push any thoughts out of his head, save the need to finish this mission.

Once they were inside the Galactor ship, the four ninjas crept stealthily through its corridors, encountering little resistance. The Condor was just beginning to become suspicious regarding the ease of their entry when a maniacal laughter erupted in their ears.

"So, Gatchaman, we meet again!" Berg Katse cackled. Surrounding the room, lining four different levels along the walls, were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Galactor soldiers.

"Fire!" Katse ordered, and immediately the air burst into a storm of laser bullets, blanketing the floor of the entire chamber. The Condor leapt up from the ground a mere fraction of a second before the gunfire struck. Whirling through the air, Joe dodged the majority of the bullets fired at him; the remainder were blocked by his Birdstyle. He fired his gun, the crescent-shaped blade knocking out three of the guards on the highest level before wrapping around a metal railing. Joe pulled himself up, somersaulting around and kicking another soldier in the face before he landed in the thick of his enemies. He reached behind his back for a quarrel of shuriken, casually flicking them between his fingers as he targeted the green-uniformed guards closest to him.

Less than a quarter of a minute later, the Condor's opponents all lay at his feet. Quickly surveying the chamber below, Joe saw that Ken was grappling with a man in a snail costume, while Jinpei bounced around on the bottom level, confusing the remaining goons, who were attempting to surround him. But Jun was nowhere to be found.

A flash of pink caught his eye, and Joe realized where she was. The Swan was crouched down in the corner, her hands deep inside the guts of a computer panel. So intent was she in her work that she didn't see the purple-masked man approaching her from behind.

"Jun!" Joe called, but it was too late. Berg Katse's pistol was already pushing at the Swan's neck, just underneath the base of her helmet.

"Don't move, Gatchaman, or this pretty little bird will be the next to go!" Katse threatened. Joe froze instantly. His mind screamed with indecision. Should he make a move, risking Jun's life?

Could he risk the life of their child?

"Surrender, Katse, and your men can go." the Eagle blustered, but the position of power had shifted, and everyone present knew it. The Condor's hand held a shuriken, rubbing it through his fingers, his mind calculating speed and distance. He could hit his target, but would he have enough time to do so before Katse noticed?

For her part, Jun appeared unperturbed, her hands still moving within the depths of the panel. Her captor was paying more attention to Gatchaman than he was to the Swan…

That decided it. Joe tossed the shuriken, aiming with deadly accuracy at Katse's throat. But even as the feather left his fingers, a white-hot arc of electricity surged from the computer panel. Jun threw herself to the ground, allowing the bolt to hit the Galactor Leader standing behind her.

Berg Katse screamed, involuntarily bucking and jerking in agony as the current raced through his body. The feather shuriken struck not his throat, but his arm, and Katse cried out once more. The Swan rolled to her feet before sprinting out of the room.

"Fifteen seconds!" Jun shouted, and no one needed to ask what she meant. The Condor threw himself down to the ground, landing next to the Swan, just as she was exiting the chamber. Grabbing her hand, Joe pulled her down the corridor toward the exit. Spotting the hatch they had used to access the now-doomed mecha, he kicked at it, sending the already loose door flying out into the sky.

"Go!" the Condor cried, practically pushing Jun through the circular hole. Jinpei jumped out behind her, and then Ken was there, diving through even as he shouted at Joe to follow. An explosion rocked the Galactor ship, and a blast of fire zoomed down the corridor. Wrapping himself in his wings, the Condor plunged through the hole.

The sky was filled with smoke and flying metal debris, flaming projectiles hurtling past him even as he flew through the area. The haze cleared, and his peripheral vision observed a scraggly field of grass below. Above the patch of green flew three spots of color: two white, one black.

Jinpei landed first, rolling awkwardly as he met the ground. Jun was right behind him, grabbing the boy and pulling him toward her: embracing him even as she determined the extent of his injuries, if any. Ken landed a short distance away, looking up into the sky and speaking into his bracelet.

The Condor literally hit the ground running, sprinting over to where the Swan knelt, her arms around the Swallow. Without speaking a word, Joe grabbed Jun's shoulders, pulling her up and into the safety of his embrace. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm against his chest, her life force communicating with his, assuring his anxious mind that she was indeed alive.

His family was safe. That was all that mattered.

Raising his head slightly, he saw Ken staring at them. The Condor's gaze met that of the Eagle, and the message sent was loud and clear.

The Swan was Joe's responsibility now.

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"Why didn't you tell me?" Ken asked, sitting in Jinpei's usual seat. The Swallow had taken the chair next to the Owl, and was actively involved in piloting the God Phoenix back to the Crescent Base. The Condor appeared to be preoccupied with the readouts at his workstation. How much of an ear he was lending to the conversation behind him was difficult to say.

"I didn't know how you would react." Jun revealed. "You've been so… volatile, lately. I was afraid that you would blow things out of proportion."

"Joe doesn't bother me." Ken admitted grudgingly. "But the two of you being so careless… We have a lot of new issues to deal with, now. Issues that could change the outcome of this war…"

"Is that what the test said?" Jun gulped nervously. "It was positive?"

"You don't know?" Ken was taken aback.

"I didn't get a chance to see the results, before you found it." Jun confessed.

"There was a pink line…" Ken informed her.

"One pink line? Or two?"

"_Two_? I… I don't know." Ken's cheeks burned. "Maybe."

"It makes a difference."

"I presume it does." Ken sighed. "I think you'll have to do the test again."

"The moment we get back." Jun promised.

"Whatever it says… we'll support you, Jun."

"Thank you, Ken. I…" The Swan hesitated before continuing. "I like this side of you better."

"You mean, better than the side of me that smashed the first test to pieces?" he asked in a wry tone. Jun nodded shyly.

"I know you're angry, Ken," she said softly, taking his hands in hers, "but this isn't the way to deal with it. We're your friends. We care about you. Talk to us…"

"I don't want to get angry," Ken revealed, "but then I think about my father, and what he had to sacrifice… what _I_ had to sacrifice not knowing him… and then I just can't think about anything else." He closed his eyes, willing the fury building inside of him to go away. Already it wanted to surface. He felt a gentle pressure on his hands, and incredibly, the anger began to recede. He opened his eyes to see Jun staring at him in a concerned fashion.

"Are you all right, Ken?"

"I'm fine." he shook his head to clear it. "Thanks."

"I understand how you feel." Jun said quietly. "I was angry on this mission, when Katse had that gun at my head. I thought about the child I might be carrying, and I was furious with him… furious that he'd threaten the life of my baby!"

"Isn't that ridiculous?" she asked uncertainly. "Getting so angry over a person who might not even exist."

"The bond between parent and child is very strong." Ken told her. "It's natural for you to feel the way you did."

"Just as it's natural for you to feel the way you do, Ken." Jun agreed. "But you can't let it take over the rest of your life."

Ken bowed his head, accepting what she was saying, but finding it difficult to grasp the concept internally. Jun had been angry… acting to protect her own child, just as Red Impulse had acted to save the life of his son, choosing to pilot the V2 Termination Rocket in Gatchaman's stead.

A small movement attracted Ken's attention, and from the corner of his eye he saw Joe shifting in his seat. The Eagle had no doubt that the Condor was listening to the conversation very intently, no matter that he had no part in it. Suddenly, Ken recalled the expression in Joe's eyes as he had held Jun against him, after they had escaped the mecha's destruction. Ken had seen fire in his friend's eyes before, but this hadn't been a cold-hearted need for revenge… it had been a passionate rage… yet one that was protective in nature.

It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over his head, clearing out the dark emotions that had been crowding his psyche for weeks. Ken blinked, startled by the revelation that had just come to him.

His anger was to be used for _protection_. It was useless to allow his anger to rage out against anyone, least of all his teammates. But if he used it to revive himself… to strengthen his resolve. Then it would become a powerful weapon to protect others.

For the first time in months, Ken Washio felt his heart lighten.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"One pink line… see?"

"How many are there supposed to be, again?"

"One!" Jun tossed a pillow at Joe's head. The Condor easily ducked the incoming missile, but was hit by a yo-yo on his side. The impact was light, but the message was clear.

"I'm not pregnant!" Jun laughed. "The doctor said it was just stress! Do you believe me now?"

"Yes." Joe growled. "But if you smack me with the yo-yo again, I'll…"

"You'll… what?" Emerald eyes sparkled with a teasing light.

"Just try it…" he taunted, casually pulling a feather shuriken through his teeth.

"I'm not afraid of your empty threats."

"Empty?"

A mere second later, Jun sat pinned to her headboard by two shuriken that poked through the collar of her t-shirt. Joe had a yo-yo cord entangled around his throat.

"I win." the Condor smirked.

"I don't think so." Jun grinned. "What happens if I activate the charge on my weapon?"

"If you do that, you won't have anyone to suck out the shuriken poison from your lovely neck."

"I surrender." She immediately dropped the end of the cord from her fingertips.

"That was awfully easy." He eyed her warily.

"You made me an offer I couldn't refuse." Jun fluttered her lashes. "I believe you offered to 'suck out the poison'?"

"It might be a little difficult with your shirt in the way."

"Don't let that stop you."

Divested of the offending garment, Jun giggled as Joe pressed his lips against her throat, trailing kisses around her neck, shoulders and upper body.

"I don't think I was hit there…" she murmured happily.

"I wouldn't want to take any chances."

"Of course not."

"Speaking of taking chances…" He raised his head slightly to look at her, even as his fingertips lightly traced the curve of her breast through her brassiere. "Are you…?"

"I got an implant at the doctor's office."

"How long does that last?"

"Three years."

"That'll do."

She understood that a part of Joe had been saddened momentarily at the discovery that she had not been pregnant, and a part of her reveled in that knowledge. But they both knew it was better this way. The rest could come later… years later, hopefully… when they were both ready for it.

Right now, she was ready for something a little more immediate in nature.

"What's taking so long?"

"Ready for the main event?" he raised an eyebrow. "When will you learn not to rush things?"

"I guess you'll just have to teach me."

"I plan to."

"And when is my first lesson?"

"Just shut up and let me…"

"_Now_ who's impatient?"

"You're going to regret that…"

"I…. oh!"

A flurry of kisses between her thighs silenced their banter, and now all she could think of was the flood of sensation taking over her body. He was taunting her, sure enough, but she knew that the implied promise behind his actions would not remain unfulfilled. Within moments they were both free of their garments, and the delicious torture began anew, with tickling, teasing flickers at the core of her femininity. He kissed her there and she gasped, a passionate warmth filling her body.

He moved up the length of her, pressing his mouth against her own, the taste of her passion on his tongue firing her once more.

"I guess you _were_ ready."

"I'll always be ready for you, Joe."

"I'll never let you down, Jun."

As their bodies became one, she soared again, holding tightly to him, and to the promise he offered her. There was a future out there, and they would find it… together.

There simply was no other option.

**The End**


End file.
